Neil Mellor insists Liverpool must offer Jamie Carragher a coaching role when the veteran defender hangs up his boots.

The Reds star will call time on his playing career at the end of the season, having joined the club’s youth system as a nine-year-old and after making more than 700 senior appearances.

And Mellor, who played with the former England defender at Anfield, claims the club should try to hold on to the 35-year-old.

“When the young players come through, like I did, he was an inspiration,” he told the Sports Bar. “He was always passing on his knowledge and experience to the young lads.

“That’s invaluable. He talks about leaving the football club but that would be really sad. Between now and the end of the season I’d be really surprised if Liverpool don’t try and get some kind of role for him at the club.”

And Mellor claims the Reds will need to replace Carragher’s experience and know-how in the first-team.

“It’s a sad loss to Liverpool,” he added. “They’re going to have to fill that void.

“Look at the recent game against Arsenal. It was 2-2 with 20 minutes to go and, in my opinion, without Jamie Carragher on the pitch Liverpool could have ended up getting beaten.

“He was there telling the players to dig in, saying to them, ‘we’ve worked hard to get this far, there’s no way we’re leaving without a point’.

“His leadership and organisation has been missed at times this season. We’ve seen in the last few games how important it can be.”

When the young players come through, like I did, he was an inspiration